Indian Railways WCAM class

WCAM 1 at Ahmedabad railway station in 1999

WCAM 2P at Vadodara railway station in 1999

WCAM 3 at Kurla railway station in 2007

WCAM (W -broad gauge ; CA -Both DC and AC ; M -for both goods and passenger service) was the dual-power AC/DC series locomotive used by Indian Railways. These locomotives could run under both DC traction and AC traction. All the WCAM locos except the WCAM 1 (made by CLW) were made by BHEL. They had 750 V DC traction motors, using resistance banks in DC mode and a variable ratio auto-transformer with rectifier units in AC mode, for power control.

The WCAM class locomotives were in service only in the Mumbai region. The dual-voltage WCAM series locomotives hauled intercity trains out of Mumbai DC suburban region which was on a 1500 V DC overhead system, as opposed to remaining India which have 25000 V AC overhead.

Mumbai suburban region has completely switched over to 25000 V AC by 2016 and so the WCAM locomotives are no longer required . Now pure AC locomotives can run in this region . However WCAM locomotives continued to be used in AC traction.

Types

There were four types of Locomotives under WCAM class:

Mixed type locomotives

Goods locomotives

WCAG 1

Technical specifications

Comparative specifications of different type of WCAM

Class	WCAM–1	WCAM–2/2P	WCAM 3	WCAG–1
Year	1975-79	1995-96	1997+	1999–2000
Maker	CLW	BHEL	BHEL	BHEL
Traction Motors	Alstom/CLW TAO 659 A1 (575 kW, 750 V). Axle-hung, nose-suspended	TAO 659 (575 kW, 750 V). Axle-hung, nose-suspended, force-ventilated	Hitachi HS15250A. Axle-hung, nose-suspended, force-ventilated	Hitachi HS15250A. Axle-hung, nose-suspended, force-ventilated.
Transformer	HEL BOT 34600. 3460kVA	BHEL 5400 kVA	BHEL 5400 kVA. 32 taps	BHEL 5400 kVA. 32 taps
Power(hp)	3850 AC (1 hr)2930 DC / 3640 AC cont.)	3780? DC / 4720 AC cont.4950 starting	4600 (4700?) DC / 5000 AC	4600 DC / 5000 AC cont.
Rectifiers	Silicon rectifiers, 48 cells (321 UFR200) per bridge, 1000 A /1270 V	Two silicon rectifier units D1800N44 (Siemens), 16 cells per bridge. 1000 V / 3600 A	Two silicon rectifier units D1800N44 (Siemens), 16 cells per bridge. 1000 V / 3600 A.	Two silicon rectifier units D1800N44 (Siemens), 16 cells per bridge. 1000 V / 3600 A.
Speed(kmph)	80-100 DC / 120 AC	105 DC / 120 AC	105	100
Weight(tonnes)	113	113	113	128
Quantity	53	20	53	12+
Serial nos	21800-852	21861-880	21881-900 /21931-963	21971+

Loco sheds holding WCAM engines

The only sheds holding WCAM engines were Kalyan Loco Shed and Valsad Loco Shed.

References

Notes

Bibliography

Hughes, Hugh (1996). Indian Locomotives: Part 4 – 1941–1990. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9521655-1-1.

External links

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